Officials with the Bureau of Land Management will close the Sandy Ridge Recreation Area for the day on Thursday, May 4. Crews will use the time to remove hazard trees around the parking lot and trails.

“Public safety is our top priority,” said Dennis Teitzel, BLM Northwest Oregon District Manager. “And these dead and dying trees are at risk of dropping limbs or falling and creating a dangerous situation for our visitors.”

BLM staff evaluates hazardous trees at BLM-managed recreation sites in late spring after the winter storms are finished for the year. The late winter has delayed the BLM’s ability to meet the demand at all of its recreation sites. To allow adequate time to identify and remove the hazard trees, crews will close and lock the gates on Wednesday evening and open them again on Friday morning.

The popular mountain bike trail system is located 12 miles east of the town of Sandy. For more information about the Sandy Ridge Recreation Area, please visit: https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/mountainbike/sandyridge

Please contact the BLM Northwest District Office at 503-375-5646 with any questions about the closure.

Original source can be found here.